Topic: Grandma arrested for mock kidnapping

[AlienLXIX]

Students, Grandma Arrested After School Project

Neighbors Call Police After Mock Kidnapping
Michelle Krish -- 10News.com Managing Editor

POSTED: 8:25 am PST January 24, 2007
UPDATED: 8:49 am PST January 24, 2007

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A student project went terribly wrong, leaving four students in jail along with a 75-year-old grandma.

The students were shooting a video of a mock kidnapping for their high school criminology class in Scottsdale.

But neighbors thought they witnessed a violent kidnapping and called police. David Seay, 18, was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, along with the so called victims -- three teenage girls.

Seay's grandmother, Marilyn Miller, was also arrested in connection with videotaping the class project.

Meanwhile, their criminology teacher is on administrative leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow.  Good on the neighbors in doing what they thought was right but kudos to the grandma and kids for the realism!  I mean they really ought to get an A for cinematography!  As for the teacher I hope he/she treats the leave as a vacation!

[Vipre]

It's just too bad that the studends didn't think to inform the neighbors of their project. I guess laws are laws but I find it strange that they all were arrested. You'd think the cops would just chew them out and report it a false alarm.
   

[Nemesis]

I guess that having people there filming it wasn't a hint that it was not real. 

Link

Seay and the three 15-year-olds each was cited for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and released.

Seay's grandmother, Marilyn Miller, 75, was shooting the film. She was also cited for disorderly conduct and for contributing to the delinquency of minors, police said.

From the comments section:

(Another student talking of the teachers side)

he told us not to be stupid, not to get involved with cops, not to film something bad without telling anyone. he told us. ALL OF US. but 3 people didnt listen and what happened? they got in trouble, but its the teachers fault. completely stupid and total @#$%&.

ok. yeah its good that the cops came. but why in the world is the teacher get in trouble. completly rediculous. he told us NOT TO DO ANYTHING STUPID. he gave us a whole page saying no cops, dont be idiots. THEY ARE IDIOTS THOSE GIRLS. and hes in trouble? and he is gone? NO, its totally wrong. its his famous assignment that even the wacked out stoner kids do, and spend alot of time on it. now we cant even turn then in for credit. everyone spent an incredible amount of time on this project, and just cause there are 3 stupid people who should be in trouble, we cant turn ours in. the teacher should not be in trouble for any reason, i cant believe

Lots of criminals get their 75 year old grandmother to video tape their crimes.  The police responding was definitely the right thing to do but I don't think so on the charges, a warning should have been sufficient and the teachers suspension seems inappropriate.

Given the typical police response time I must wonder how many times they ran through the scene (not mentioned) and what they were doing when the police arrived (also not mentioned).  If they did repeated run throughs that should have warned the witnesses that it was just an act as should their followup activities.